Molly Malone is the enigmatic heroine of the famous song of the same name, widely recognised as Dublin’s unofficial anthem. Immortalised in bronze during the 1988 Dublin Millennium celebrations, the Molly Malone statue stands in the heart of the city’s historic Georgian Quarter.
According to the lyrics of the undeniably catchy tune – also known as Cockles and Mussels – Molly was a young and beautiful fishmonger who sold her yield from a cart on the streets of Dublin. The song’s final verse states that after she died of a fever, she began haunting the city.
Despite her international fame, Molly Malone remains something of a mystery. While a popular figure in Irish folklore, she became an urban legend towards the end of the 20th century when claims that she was a real person who lived in the 17th century became popularised. After a Mary Malone (the name Molly derives from Mary or Margaret) was discovered to have died in Dublin on 13 June 1699, the Dublin Millennium Commission joyously proclaimed 13 June Molly Malone Day, and in 1988, it unveiled her statue.
https://www.irelandbeforeyoudie.com/who-was-molly-malone-what-we-know-from-irish-folklore-and-songs/
